Motor-vehicle lock



'l E, SIEGEL MOTOR VEHICLE LOCK O Filed May 10`, 1922 020 44a l 1/ 22 i4 i 50 24 y fff/vgsr s/Eafl. BY kis` ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 18, 1924i.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST SIEGEL, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO .AUTO KONTROL LOCK CORORA- "EION, A CORPORATON OF NEW YORK.

MOTOR-VEHICLE LOCK.

Application led May 10,

Be it known that 1, ERNEST Smart., av citizen ot the -United States, residing at New York7 in the county oi New York and State ot' New York., have invented certain new and nsetul Improvements in Motor Vehicle Locks, ot which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to locking devices for motor vehicles tor the purpose of preventing their theft or unauthorized use. More particularly,` it relates to a locking device which may be mounted upon the steering column housing and which is adapted to control `the operation of the steen ing rod therein. -Various devices have een proposed tor locking the steering mechanisms ol .vehicles against operation, but they have been largely unsatisfactory for various reasons., among which' it may be mentioned that they have been susceptible ot' tamperingr or injury by an unauthorized 4person within aA short 'interval of time in such a manner as to enable ,operation or ,towing away ot the vehicle. It has also been possible with a pipe wrench to quickly cut or sever the housing ot the steering column so as to permit the rotation of the upper part. thereof with the steering rod. and thereby the locking device upon'the upper end ot the housing was rendered int-ttfcctive. nother objection has been that considerable changes in the usual construction ot' the steeringl wheel or post havebeen necessary in order to apply many ot' the locking devices thereto` which greatly increased the cost ot' equipping the vehicle with the lock. nother objection has been that the attaching means and the means tor holdin;r the parts together have been exposed sutticiently to permit of tampering or removal ot' the lo k in order to render it ineffective.

An object ot' the invention is to provide an improved locking device 'for motor vehicleswhich may be set to prevent relative movement between two parts thereof; which. when in a locked condition. willettectively conceal andA protect the lockingmeans and the operating parts against tamperinrf-l injury or removal with ordinarily. a failable tools;.which prevents disablement ci the lock. or the rendering ot the same inciter-tive bythe cutting ot the steering column casing or housing between the lock and 1922. serial No. 559,713.

the dash ofthe vehicle; which is capable ot withstandingr severe shocks or blows or cutting tools without `disab-lement 0r removal; which can be readily and easily attached to the common makes of motor vehicles within a short interval ot time and without material cl'iang'es in their construction; and which is exceedingly simple, reliable, durable, compact and inexpensive. Other objects a-nd advantages will be apparent from the4 following description and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in claims. The nature of the invention will appear from the following de-v scription ot the. preferred embodiment of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is an elevation ot a portion ot a vehicle and the steering column with my improved lock applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the saine and the locking device; t F'g. 3 is a sectional elevation through the same; y'

.'Fig.. .Je is a section ot' stantially along the line a-a of Fig. Fig. 5 is a Section ot' the same taken snbstantially. along the line J-Z) of Fig. 3;

Fig. (5 is a section of the saine taken substantially along the line c-c ot Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a section through the steeringcolumn and the column protecting sleeve taken sul'istantially along the line (Z--d of Fig. l. l

ln the illustrated embodiment, the locking` device is applied to the housing l of the steering column in which a steering rod 2 passes longitudinally. A pair ot arms 3 and 4t are provided with ears and (i, respectively, which are connected by a plurality ot links 4't'. The links are pivotally secured between the ears by pins 8 and 9 which pass through the Vears and links to form a slightlyvadjustable hinge or articu.

lated connection between the arms 3 and 4L, the arms and links together' forming a clamp.V r[`he abutting` 'taces of the arms, adjacent'the articulately connected ends, are concave to closely/conform to and embrace the periphery oi the housing of the steeringthe sametaken subTk 14 in the housing 1 so as to prevent rotation and axial movement of the clamping device upon the housing. A locking meniber in the foi-in of a bolt V15 is reciprocatingly mounted in the boss portion 13 ofV the block and is adapted to enter a radially disposed recess 16 in the periphery ot' the steering rod 2 when the rod is rotated to bring the recess into alignment with the locking bolt 15. The locking bolt is provided with an enlarged head 17`at its inner end, and a helical spring 18 surrounds the locking bolt and reacts at one end upon the head 17 ot the bolt and at the other end against a shoulder 19 in the aperture in the block through which the bolt slides. .The spring yieldingly stresses the bolt in a direction away from the steering rod 2 so as to res tract the'inner end of the bolt from therecess 16 and release the steering rod lfor rotation. f

A barrel or interponent 2O is rotatably disposed in said recess 10 and an axially eX- tending pin 21 upon the inner end thereof has a rotatable bearing in the abutting face of the block 11. A cam 22, formed of a resilient strip of inet-al, is secured at one end in a suitable manner, such as by screws 23, to the end face of the barrel which faces the block 11, and extends helically with respect to the axis ot the barrel, the other end of the cam being free. lhen the barrel or interponent is rotated in one direction the helical cani will engage the enlarged end 17 of the locking bolt and yieldingly press the latter in a direction toward the steering rod 2 so that when the recess 16 of the steering rod is brought into alignment with the locking bolt, the latter will be snapped into locking engagement therewith, it being understood, or" course, that the resilient force of the cani 22 is considerably greater than the resistance offered by the spring 18. When the barrel is rotated in the opposite direction the helical cani will move away from the enlarged ond of the locking bolt so to release the saine, whereupon the spring 18 will shift the locking bolt outwardly out of locking engagement with the recess 16 of the steering rod.

A locking device 24 is disposed in the outer open end of the recess 10 so as to alos@ the Same, and. ,Slight telescfipic engagement with a recessin the outer end face, of the barrel 20, The locking device may conveniently comprise a cylinder or pin and tumbler lock of any well known construction, and `the rotating key controlled barrel 25-tliereof is provided upon its outer face with a tempered or case-hardened plate 26 having a slot therein through which the key may be inserted into the barrel. A bushing sleeve 27 surrounds the locking device 24 and is provided with an inturned flange 28 which overlies the end of the lock ing device and the harde-ned plate 26 so as to prevent displacement of the plate 26ffroni the face ot the barrel. The end of the barrel 25 is provided with a pair ot pins, not

shown, which enter recesses or apertures.

(not shown) in the plate 26 so as to cause the plate 26 to rotate with the barrel and hold the key slot of the plate in alignment with that of the barrel. The slee-ve or bushing 27 is of hardened steel or similar material. A screw 29 passes through the arm 8, lfrom the tace thereof abutting the arm 4, and engagesthe bushing 27 and the locking device 24 to pre-vent rotation or axial dis-` placement oi the saine within the recess.

The inner end or' the barrel 25 of the locking device 1s provided with a cam' 30 which is secured thereon in a suitable man.

ner, such as by screws 31, the rotation of the cam 30 and barrel 25 being limited to one-half a revolution by a pin 32 projecting from the end face of the housing of the locking device 24, and engaged by substantially diainetrically disposed shoulders 33 of the cain 30. The cani 30 is provided with pins 34 projecting from the end face thereot which enter correspondingly spaced recesses in the abutting end tace of the barrel or interponent 2O so that when the barrel 25 of the lookin g device is rota-ted, the barrel or interponent 20 will be given a corresponding rotation in the recess 10. The barrel oit the locking device is rotated by a key 35. A screw 36 passes through the arin 3 from the recess 10 and has threaded engagement with the arm 4 ofthe clamp to clamp the two arms together and tightly against the housing of the steering column. The head of the screw 36 is countersunk in a recess S7 opening from the recess 10 so as to clear the barrel or interponent 20. The screw is provided in its head with a non-circular socket 38 in whichl a wrench having a corresponding periphery may be inserted for rotating the screw to tighten or loosen the saine. The barrel 2O is provided with a diametrically extending aperture 39 which, by the rotation of the barrel, may be brought into alignment with the recess V37 and through which the wrench may be inserted into the socket or recess 38 of the screw.

The arm 3 is provided with a recess 40 in alignment with the recess 37, but arranged lit? ist

` tremely difficult, if not impossible.

crosswis'e of the' recess 10', soV that the 'wrench may be inserted through Vrecess and through the aperture 39 of the barrel or interponent 2O when it is desired to rotate the screw 38. The aperture' 40 is' normally ends ofy the arms43 `being hooked towardv one another so as toV normally interlock with the periphery of the barrel and prevent removal ot' the closure.v When the barrel or interponent 20 is rotated'- into ar position in' which the aperture 39: extends at right angles tothe axis of thieaperture 40" the portion cutk away by the aperture 39 will provide clearance `for the passage of the hooked ends of the arms 43', and perm-it of the removalot the closure. This position of the barrel 20, which permits removal of the closure, is halfway between the limits of rotation of the' barrel, so that when thebarrel is in either its locked or unlocked position the closure will be interlockedtherewith.

The lower end faceV of the clamp" device' formed, by the arms 3 and 4', is provided with an annular recess 45 immediately surrounding the housing 1. A binder slee-ve 46 is slidably mounted upon they lower end of the housing 1 and is longitudinally split intotwo sections to permit of its application to the housing. Each section is provided at each side with an ear 47, which when' the sections are assembled, overlie` withl one another at each side, and screws 48 pass from one of each pair ot ears into threaded engagement with the other so as to lock the sections together, the heads of the screws being accessible from the under face of the binder sleeve when the sleeve is disposed on the. housing. The binder sleeve' is provided in the upper end face with an annular recess in which the end of a longitudinally extendi'ngsplit protecting sleeve 49 is disposed, thel opposite end of thesplit sleeve 49' entering the recess 45 of the cam. The protecting sleeve 49 and the binder sleeve 46 are preferably made' of very hard material, such as temperedor case hardened steel, so that injury` or destruction by hack saws, pipe cut ting tools, or hammer blows, will be exrllhe binder sleeve and the clamp prevent separa-tion of the sections of the sleeve 49, the clamp prevents upward movement of the split sleeve', and the split sleeve by its engagement in theI recess of the binder sleeve prevents movement of the binder sleeve'up-y wardly along the steering column housing away from the dash board.v

In the application of the locking device to a vehicle, the housing 1 is drilled to provide the aperture 14 at the ypoint where the clamp isto be applied and the steering rod 2 drilled to provide a recess 16 in alig'mnentl with the aperture 14 when the steering rod is in the position in which it is desired that it be locked.

ponent 20 is rotated through the pinsv 34 and the locking barrel 25ct thelocking device to bring the aperture 39 intoA alignment with' the recess 37. A wrench may then bev inserted through the open aperture 40, through the recess 10 and into the recess 38 oi the screw 36; The armsV 3 and 4 aire applied around the housing and brought together and the screw 36 threaded into the arm4 by ai rotation of the wrench, the tightening of-y the screw serving to clamp theV arms 3 and 4 The closure 4]. is removedl from the recess 40 and the barrel or inter.

tightly together and firmly tothe housing 1. v

During the application of the arms 3 and 4V to the housing 1,: the boss 13 enters theapertur'e 14 of the housing. The barrel 2() may then be rotated midway between its eXtreme crossw'isel of the arms 43. The closure 41 may then be applied to the arm 3: to close the recess 40, at which time the arms' 43 will passk through the clearance spaces provided at the ends of the aperture 39,' after which the rotation of the barrel to either limit ofv its movement 'will interlock the closure with the' barrel. At one limit or' the movement of the barrel 20, the low point of the helical cam 22 will be engaged by the enlarged end 17 o' the locking bolt 15. In this position the other end of the locking bolt will be out of the recess 16 ot' the steering rod 2, and the steering rod 2 may be rotated as desired in the' operation of steering thejvehicle. AIf now the barrel 20 is rotated through 180o by the operation' of the key 35 the helical cam will move along the head of the locking boltand as the higher points oi the' cam engage thchead 17 of the locking bolt, the latter will be yieldingly stressed to the left (Fig. 2) and towards the steering rod Then the steering rod is rotated to bring the recess 16 into alignment with the' locking' bolt, the resilient cam 22 will snap 'the locking bolt into the recess to prevent further rotation of the steering rod. The steering mechanism of the vehicle is then locked` against operation and it will' be impossible for a thief or 'unauthorized person to steer tlevelii'cle, which eli'e'ctive'ly prevents its removal for any considerable distance from the locality in which it has been left in locked condition. When it is desired to release the steering mechanism tor operation, the key 35 is inserted into the locking deviceand rotated through 180o, which operation imparts a corresponding rotation to the barrel 20 and sl'iiltts the cam 22 in a reverse direction soas to release the locking bolt, 'u'hereupon the' ypositions sov as to bring the aperture: 39

l'oo

llt)

-protecting the housing, the binder sleeve is rst placed upon the lower` part of thehous ing with the heads of the screws-facing the dash. The sections of the split sleeve 4:9 are then assembledaround the housing l With. the lower ends entering the recess in the upper face of the binder sleeve. The locking device is then applied to the steering column with the upper end oi thel sections oi the split sleeve A9 entering the recess 4-5 in the under end face oit' the clamp device. The completion of the application of the clamp device to the steering column serves to prevent removal of the split sleeve 49 or the binder sleeve 46 and it Will be impossible for anyone to sever or cut the housing l below the locking device so as to render the lockingl device ineiiective. Y

The pins 8 and 9 are driven under considera-ble pressure through the and Vlinks 7 from the upperface, and do not entirely pass through the lovvermost ear ot' each arm, the lower endoi2 the ear being closed so as to-prevent v anyone from driving the pins outwardly again. :It will, therefore, be eX- tremely diiiicult, if not impossible, to remove the pins 8 and 9 so as to releaseV the clamp. The screivs l2 and 29 which hold the block 11 and the locking device QA: withe in the clamping device. are accessible only When the arms are separated, and the .arms can only be separated when the locking device has been shifted vto unlocked position or to an' intermediate position aivay from locked'position soasto permit the removal of the closure di.. All of the exposed l arts of the device are made of hardened material such as tempered or case hardened steel so that the lock cannot be disabled by blows, sawing or cutting.

It will be obvious that various changes in the 'details and arrangements of parts here in described and illustrated for the purpose of' explaining the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art Within the principle and scope of the yinvention. Y

' an interponent rotated by said 'lochingde-v vice and mounting said cam in a position to engage and yieldingly stress the locking member in one direction, and a spring device for shifting the locking member in the opposite direction when released by said cam.

2. A lock for motor vehicles having a steering column housing and a steering rod in said housing comprising a clamp adapted to embrace and be clamped to said housing, a Alocking member carried by the clamp and movable through an aperture in the portion of the `housing embraced by the clamp into and out Vof locking engagement With the steering rod, an interponent movably carried' in said clamp, a resilient cam carried by the interponent and' operable thereby to stress the locking member yieldingly in one direction, a spring for shifting the locking member inthe opposite direction Whenthe member is released bythe cam, and a locking device Within the clamp, operable from the exterior thereof, and connected to said interponent for operating the same to shift the cam and thereby ary the position of the locking member. y V

3. A lock for motor vehicles having a steering column housing and a steering rod in said housing, comprising a' clamp adapted to embrace and be clamped to said housing,

a 4locking member carried by the clamp and movable through an aperture in the portion of the housing embraced by the clamp into and out of locking engagement With the steering rod, a resilient cam for stressing the locking member inv one direction, means including a locking device for operating-the cam to change'its eiiect upon the member, and resilientmeans for shifting the member in a direction oppositeto that produced by the cam When the member is released by the cam.Y f f ,4. A lock for motor vehicles having a steering column housing projecting from Va dash, and a steering rod in said housing, comprising a clamp adapted to embrace and be clamped to said housing and having a ecess in its lower end face surrounding the housing, a binder sleeve adapted to be placed upon the housing and against the dash, a longitudinally split sleeve of exceedingly hard metal embracing the housing with its loiver end embraced WithinV the binder sleeve and its upper end in said recess, and means Within the clamp, operable to prevent rotation of the steering rod in said housing.

5. A lool; for motor vehicles having a lsteering column. housing projecting from a dash and a steering rod in said housing comprising a clamp adapted to embrace and be clamped to said housing and having a recessv in itsloiver end face surrounding the housing, a split binder sleeve having its sections attached together by screws accessible froml one end face disposed upon said hous-v CTI ing with the said end face abutting the dash, a longitudinally split sleeve of exceedingly hard metal embracing the housing with its lower end embraced within the binder sleeve and its upper end in said recess, and means 'within the clamp operable to prevent rotation of the steering rod in said housing.

6. In a lock for motor vehicles having a steering column housing and a steering rod in said housing, a clamp embracing said housing and comprising two arms, a link hinged to adjacent ends of the arms to permit of separation or approach of the arms, relatively to one another, said arms having in their abutting faces cooperating ccncavi ties which closely fit the periphery of the housing, means carried by one of the arms operable to lock the steering rod against rotation in the housing, and means for clamping together the free ends of the arms.

7. In a lock for motor vehicles having a steering column housing and a steering rod in said housing, a clamp embracing said housing and comprising two arms articulately connected, one of the arms having therein a recess extending from its end face to the housing engaging surface, a block at the inner end of said recess, a locking member carried by said block for movement through the housing into locking engagement with the steering rod, a screw accessible for operation through the recess for clamping the arms together and to the housing, an interponent rotatable in said recess and carrying a cam for operating said member, a locking device disposed in and closing the outer end of the recess, said locking device controlling the operation of the interponent, said arm with the recess having a second recess at right angles thereto and substantially aligned with the screw through which access may be had to the screw to tighten or loosen the same, said interponent having an aperture through which access may be had from thev second recess to the screw when the interponent is in one rota tive position, screws passing through the arm into the block and locking device from the face of the arm abutting the other arm to prevent displacement or removal of the block or locking device, and a closure for my signature.

ERNEST SIEGEL. 

